On June 28th, the Carolinas Academic Leadership Network (CALN) hosted a kickoff event in Charlotte for school board members and academic leaders in North and South Carolina.
CALN is a new Project of the John Locke Foundation of North Carolina and the Palmetto Promise Institute and South Carolina Policy Council, both located in South Carolina.
Congresswoman Virginia Foxx, who represents North Carolina’s 5th Congressional District is also Chairwoman of the House Committee on Education and the Work Force, highlighted the evening. Foxx has long held the federal government should have a smaller role in education. More local oversight and input, she believes, are the best ways to solve our challenges.
Foxx said, “The founders understood the Lockean natural rights of life, liberty, and property could only be preserved by educated people. Still, they knew the corrupting threat to the republic posed by sprawling bureaucracies and unitary decision-making, and that’s what we have now. The threat is more present than ever. “
Other speakers included Mitchell Zais, former State Superintendent of Education in South Carolina and acting Secretary of Education under former President Donald Trump, South Carolina Congressman Ralph Norman, South Carolina State Senator Wes, Clymer and Dr. Terry Stoops, former Director of the Center for Effective Education at the John Lock Foundation and Director of Academically Successful and Resilient Districts for the Florida Department of Education.
Attendees heard from speakers, visited with colleagues, and heard a presentation by Mitchell Zais about understanding the impact of poverty and maximizing educational resources to improve learning outcomes.
CALN aims to foster renewed commitment by education leaders to increase student achievement, enhance parental empowerment, and improve academic excellence. In addition to providing opportunities for professional development and networking, CALN is committed to equipping school board members with the knowledge and skills they need to improve student achievement, restore excellence to our schools, and become effective school board members.
Additional information about CALN’s kickoff event can be found here.
More about the Carolinas Academic Leadership Network here.